Eric Felten "Nutcracker"

The Eric Felten Jazz Orchestra performs Duke Ellington's Nutcracker Suite.

In what has become one of Washington’s favorite holiday traditions, Eric Felten brings his classic 16-piece big band to the Blues Alley stage to perform Duke Ellington’s extraordinary jazz re-imagining of The Nutcracker.

The New York Times raves the Eric Felten Jazz Orchestra’s performance of Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite at Blues Alley is “great music.”

The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy becomes in Ellingtonia, “Sugar, Rum, Cherry,” the Waltz of the Flowers becomes the swinging “Danse of the Floreodores,” and the Dance of the Reed Flutes becomes “Toot, Toot, Tootie-Toot.”

In addition to leading a gold-standard big band, Eric also brings his talents as a singer and trombonist to performing Christmas classics from the Big Band Era, including favorites from Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole. Eric is “one of the best trombonists in jazz,” Doug Ramsey declares at his Rifftides blog. He has been recognized not only for his instrumental chops but for his singing: All About Jazz praises Felten as “A crooner who also plays a mean trombone and does both equally well.”

Eric has recorded 7 CDs, collaborating with some of the best musicians in jazz, including Joshua Redman, Joe Lovano, Randy Brecker, and Kenny Barron.

His concert special for public television, “The Big Band Sound of WWII” was seen on PBS stations nationwide.